The warming seas are a direct result of climate change. When the earth's atmosphere warms, the water warms with it. Marine life such as coral are extremely sensitive to these changes and cannot tolerate even a small rise in temperature. The coral starts to die and this has a knock on effect on the species and organisms that feed on and live off the coral.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is now thought to have lost around half of all its coral since 1995. This has occurred across all types and sizes of coral, and we are now seeing reduction in the sealife that use the coral as a habitat too.
The warming has also contributed to the growth of other organisms that thrive in warmer waters and this is changing the balance of the ecosystems. So what can be done? The main answer would be to halt the rise in global temperatures. This is a difficult challenge and can only be done by committing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in renewable energies. We can also try to limit our plastic pollution as this can also harm the wildlife that live in this delicate ecosystem. Scientists are also looking at ways to restore coral reefs and grow it back by creating coral nurseries. This looks to be a successful option but will take time to establish and will only be sustainable if temperatures don't continue to rise.
To find out more and get involved, click on the links below:
🐚 The WWF
